The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are almost upon us, and most people in the UK are thinking back to...

1. Insights on Business Management Software and ERP
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are almost upon us, and most people in the UK are thinking
back to the exciting summer of the London 2012 Olympic Games. There is certainly something that
inspires us all when it comes to games and competition.
The business world is no different. For a long time the walls of sales offices have been lined with
sales revenue rankings, and many organisations have employee competitions and awards for
everything from customer service to innovation. There is something about the nature of games that
is inherently motivational for the human race.
Applying this concept to ERP can require a little more thought, but it can be done and it's very
effective both during the ERP implementation project and afterwards to support the on-going use of
your ERP.
GAMIFICATION OF THE ERP IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT
A term has been coined in recent years called gamification; the Wikipedia definition is "the use of
game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems." In
an ERP context, gamification could be applied in the following way.
Motivating people to carry out the required activities within an ERP implementation can be difficult,
especially when you are asking people to start early and work late to complete specific tasks within a
tight time period. The gamification of these activities not only helps
motivate people, it also provides a visible and fun
way of demonstrating progress on the project. You might use it like this.

2. Split up the
project into
functional areas
and list out
against each:
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All the
processes they
need to design
All the
processes they
need to
document
All the
processes they
need to test
All the
processes they
need to train on
As each team
(or person) completes an activity they get a point, when they complete five or ten activities they get
an award which can be accompanied by a small prize. People are often more easily motivated by a
reward that is team shared, so for example, the team that finishes their end user training first all get
a company trip 10 pin bowling.
Within this process users should also be given the opportunity to "show off" their achievements, e.g.
Full system walkthroughs with the senior management team
Acknowledgement in departmental meetings or company newsletters
Publication of the score boards for process testing and design
GAMIFICATION TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING USE OF ERP
Gamification doesn't have to end when the project is live, keep the concept in place to:
Create a scoring system for users that clean data or create new data accurately
Encourage people to improve their ERP knowledge, assign points for each certification completed
for example

3. Provide recognition and rewards for users that put forward suggestions to automate and streamline
business processes which enable value to be created for your organisation
Once you start using the basic game concept, the opportunities are endless, feel free to share your
ideas on twitter using @syspro and #SYSPROgames.
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Cathie Hall
Cathie Hall is the Operations Director of K3 SYSPRO, where she is responsible for providing
customers with business solutions through SYSPRO.
Cathie leads a strong team of support, customer services and technical consultants, along with
project managers to provide SYSPRO customers in the UK and Europe with high levels of service
throughout their ERP journey.
Cathie's approach is to always put the customer first, and to build and support a strong internal
team of people, ensuring that each individual has a secure place within that team.
Cathie holds a BBA in Management from Lancaster University. Prior to joining K3 SYSPRO, she
worked at a manufacturing company as their Group IT Manager, where her first challenge was to
select a new ERP system for the company. SYSPRO was chosen and this was when Cathie got her
first taste of the ERP industry. Following that, Cathie ran her own ERP Consultancy and
implemented various ERP systems in different regions, across the world.
In her spare time Cathie is an Explorer Scout Leader, providing fun, challenge and everyday
adventure for 14-18 year olds in West Lancashire, UK. She also enjoys running and riding
motorbikes.